On February 15, the Millennial Action Project convened a group of millennial California elected officials and over 100 student attendees to kickoff the California YMCA Youth and Government 70th Model Legislature and Court program.

To kick off the program, MAP President Steven Olikara joined Future Caucus members Assemblymen Ian Calderon and Evan Low, Celine Cuadra, the 70th Youth Chief Justice, Cole Cahill, and the 70th Youth Governor on the steps of the California State Capitol Building, inspiring dozens of California high school students to strengthen their civic engagement.

Following the kick-off rally, Future Caucus members Assemblymen Ian Calderon and Kevin Kiley and State Senator Henry Stern spoke on a panel moderated by Olikara, titled “The Future Frontier: Embracing Your Millennial Power,” discussing the ways young people can harness their electoral power. The elected officials shared their personal stories about how they came to elected office and their strategies for leveraging their millennial leadership to work across the aisle.

The event closed with energized high school students ready to shape the future of American democracy.